Zipp News

Matti Breschel Wins Stage of Tour de Suisse on Zipp

Today's course for the field on the fourth stage of Tour de Suisse consisted of 197 undulating kilometres between Biasca and Stäfa where Team Saxo Bank showed the breadth of the squad. Fabian Cancellara was sitting in the peloton and he had launched his two teammates from Team Saxo Bank, Andy Schleck and Matti Breschel to supervise the events of today's major breakaway of nine riders. The worst threat to the jersey in the group was Tadej Valjavec (Alm). Towards the end of the stage the two Team Saxo Bank riders split the front group several times by keeping a high pace. Andy Schleck even made a pass on the jersey underway by winning the last two bonus sprints before the finish line.

With six kilometres to go, the actual fight for the stage win commenced and the riders tried to break lose in turn. At last Matti Breschel put the icing on the cake for Team Saxo Bank and their dominance on the fourth stage of Tour de Suisse by winning in front of Maxim Iglinsky (Astana) and Tadej Valjavec (Alm).

Andy Schleck is now second overall where Tadej Valjavec (Alm) is the man in the lead.

"The perfect scenario would have been Andy and Gustav in the break to have one more in the GC and to save strength in the front group. We stayed away from the wind on the first 150 kilometres and that is one of the benefits of having the yellow jersey in the peloton. In the final I barely managed to pull my self over the last climb. Finally, I was unsure whether I could take the stage when I closed a gap 400 meters to go with a huge series of cramps as a result. 200 meters from the line Iglinsky, my worst competitor, fortunately opened the sprint and eventually I could squeeze myself by him”, "said a happy and tired Matti Breschel after the stage.

And sports director, Kim Andersen, was naturally happy to see his plans realized:

"It was a good day and we got what we came for. This morning we agreed that we should have Andy and another rider in the long break to have an alibi for not working in front of the peloton and we got what we wanted. It is ok to pass on the jersey now so we are not bound to be working the next few days now that both Matti and Andy have been away throughout the day. Now Andy is well-positioned in the GC where I expect that he will meet particularly severe resistance from Valjavec when we are moving uphill again”, ended a happy Kim Andersen.